Moss Court
Landscape Courtyard · Coonoor, Tamil Nadu
- Location
- Coonoor, Tamil Nadu
- Area
- 2,200 sq ft
- Type
- Landscape Courtyard
- Designer
- Sheela Nair
- Completion
- 2024
- Status
- Completed
Material palette
- River gravel
- Irish moss
- Granite slab
- Fair-faced concrete
A contemplative courtyard between two wings of a hillside home. Moss, gravel and a single maple mark the passing of the year with almost no maintenance.
Design Process
- 01
Microclimate study
Shade and moisture mapped across four seasons before planting.
- 02
Ground modelling
Moss islands set out full-scale in chalk before a stone was laid.
- 03
Stone selection
Each stepping slab hand-picked at the quarry for face and thickness.
- 04
Establishment
A twelve-month care plan carried the moss through its first dry season.
The Challenge
Heavy monsoon runoff from the upper wing threatened to wash out any soft landscape.
The Solution
A concealed gravel drainage spine runs beneath the moss islands, taking 100% of roof runoff while remaining invisible.
Floor Plans
Drawn before it was built.
Every project is documented at 1:50 with joinery details at 1:5, so the intent survives contact with the site.
Ground floor · indicative
“We built a house to look at this courtyard. It changes every single week.”
S. Verma, Homeowner
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